The Darkest Hour (John Rossett, #1)
A crackling, highly imaginative thriller debut in the vein of W.E.B. Griffin and Philip Kerr, set in German-occupied London at the close of World War II, in which a hardened British detective jeopardizes his own life to save an innocent soul andMore A crackling, highly imaginative thriller debut in the vein of W.E.B. Griffin and Philip Kerr, set in German-occupied London at the close of World War II, in which a hardened British detective jeopardizes his own life to save an innocent soul and achieve the impossible—redemption.
London, 1946. The Nazis have conquered the British, and now occupy Great Britain, using brutality and fear to control its citizens. John Henry Rossett, a decorated British war hero and former police sergeant, has been reassigned to the Office of Jewish Affairs. He now answers to the SS, one of the most powerful and terrifying organizations in the Third Reich.
Rossett is a man accustomed to obeying commands, but he’s now assigned a job he did not ask for—and cannot refuse: rounding up Jews for deportation, including men and women he’s known his whole life. But they are not the only victims, for the war took Rossett’s wife and son, and shattered his own humanity.
Then he finds Jacob, a young Jewish child, hiding in an abandoned building, who touches something in Rossett that he thought was long dead.
Determined to save the innocent boy, Rossett takes him on the run, with the Nazis in pursuit. But they are not the only hunters following his trail. The Royalist Resistance and the Communists want him, too. Each faction has its own agenda, and Rossett will soon learn that none of them can be trusted. and all of them are deadly. Less
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Mark Rubinstein rated it it was amazing
almost 3 years ago
>The Darkest Hour Is Tony Schumacher's debut novel. It powerfully re-imagines history in a chilling way. It's 1946 and the Germans have won the war. They occupy England. Rossett, a former war hero is now a disillusioned alcoholic. His wife and child have been killed by. Read full review
Clare O'Beara rated it really liked it
This book probably deserves a higher rating, but it's so depressing and dark that I find it hard to like the tale - which presumably is the desired effect.
Through the eyes of one copper in London, John Henry Rossett, we see what happens when the Germans win WWII. Actuall. Read full review
Kat rated it really liked it
about 2 years ago
When I think about World War II, it’s hard to imagine any other outcome than the Allies winning. But in The Darkest Hour, Tony Schumacher imagines the opposite – that Germany invaded England, and continued their persecution of the Jewish people, using the British themselv. Read full review
Billy Roper rated it really liked it
about 1 year ago
I expected this book, purchased with a voucher from Barnes & Noble's bargain bin online because of a class action lawsuit payoff to authors like myself who'd been short-changed in some obscure manner, to be a Harry Turtledove'esque exercise in politically correct brow. Read full review
Jean Kolinofsky rated it it was amazing
almost 3 years ago
As a fan of Phillip Kerr and WWII historical fiction in general, I looked forward to reading Schumacher's take on what could have been. I was not disappointed.
The Germans have taken over England and Inspector Rossett has been assigned to rounding up Jewish citizens to shi. Read full review
Yv rated it really liked it
Tijden van Duisternis is echt een prachtig boek, heel indrukwekkend. Het begint meteen vrij heftig met een razzia, maar gaandeweg komen er gelukkig veel meer aspecten bij kijken en wordt het een verhaal dat veel, véél meer is dan alleen een verhaal dat zich afspeelt in ti. Read full review
Zeb Kantrowitz rated it liked it
almost 3 years ago
In an alternate time line England had been conquered by the Germans in a 1944 invasion. The King and Government-in-Exile were in Canada, and Great Britain now under the rule of the British Union of Fascists and Oswald Mosley was Prime Minister. It’s 1946 and the Germans h. Read full review
Lee rated it it was amazing
about 2 years ago
This book immediately throws you into a world of Nazi rule and covers most of the ifs, buts and maybes you could have about a country fed from the sap of a Nazi regime. The protagonist in Schumacher’s cunningly believable debut novel is John Henry Rossett, a British war h. Read full review
Darcia Helle rated it it was amazing
almost 3 years ago
The Darkest Hour takes an alternate look at WWII, with Hitler's Nazis winning in Europe and the US turning away from the madness. England, where the story takes place, is now occupied and managed by German Nazis. The setting here is so realistic that I often found myself. Read full review
Mihir rated it liked it
This was a debut that attracted my interest due to the subject matter. A Britain that is overrun by Nazi Germany and wee meet our protagonist John Rossett who is forced to work under the same despicable people he fought a few years ago. His task to locate Jewish refugees. Read full review